[Idiom] be never enough to do

[jiamajia]

If I am given two minutes to make a speech to introduce a big event, I think the time allowed is not enough. In this context, can I say:

Two minutes is never enough to fully introduce the event.

Have I misused 'never' here? Thank you.

 

[crazYgeeK]

I think you can !
Thank you !

 

[emsr2d2]

If I am given two minutes to make a speech to introduce a big event, I think the time allowed is not enough. In this context, can I say:

Two minutes is never enough to fully introduce the event.

Have I misused 'never' here? Thank you.

You can, although "never" isn't really used with its true definition here. I'm sure you could find lots of people who have found that two minutes is enough/more than enough time to introduce an event.

You're saying that in your experience up until now of introducing events, two minutes has not been enough, but of course it's possible that in the future you might find that it is enough.

 

[Barb_D]

You're saying that in your experience up until now of introducing events, two minutes has not been enough, but of course it's possible that in the future you might find that it is enough.

Which means that if this is the first time you're trying to introduce the event, then it's an inappropriate use.

Two minutes isn't enough time to do this event justice... that means that the event is so great that it deserves/merits more time.

 

[crazYgeeK]

Maybe something is too difficult to do if we don't want to say that it is impossible (although you try to train yourself for a lifetime).
For example: Who can type at the speed of 1000 words per minute ? I'm sure that we never find that man or will find him on the other planets not on our Earth.
Something is possible to you but impossible to me.
Thank you very much !

 

[BobK]

Which means that if this is the first time you're trying to introduce the event, then it's an inappropriate use.

Two minutes isn't enough time to do this event justice... that means that the event is so great that it deserves/merits more time.

:up: But there is - in Br Eng, at least - a very colloquial usage, implying something stronger than "not": 'That was never you in the green hat! [I don't believe it - green's not your colour]' (In the context of a discussion about the length of a presentation, this sort of informality would almost certainly be inappropriate.)

b